Buggy-top attachment.



PATENTED FEB. 3,. 1903.

E. WALTER.

BUGGY TOP ATTACHMENT.

APPLIUATION FILED APR. 9, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

as 00.. PNO'lO-LITHD..WASHING1ON o c ED STATE PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD WALTER, OF KEYTESVILLE, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM C. GASTON, OF KEYTESVILLE, MISSOURI.

BUGGY-TOP ATTACHMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 719,538, dated February 3, 1903.

Application filed April 9, 1902. Serial No. 102,107- (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that LEDWARD WALTER, a citi zen of the United States, residing at Keytesville, in the county of Ohariton and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Buggy-Top Attachment, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates generally to carriagetops, and more particularly to an improved means for opening and closing the same, the object of the invention being to simplify the construction of carriage-tops now in use and provide a cushion attachment in connection therewith, whereby as the top is quickly lowered all shock or jarincidental to such quick lowering will be avoided, and another object is to provide a mechanism which will not only take up the shock or jar as the top is lowered, but also assist in the raising operation.

My invention also has for its object to provide a novel construction of how or prop brace connection, whereby the side props and hinged braces are dispensed with, and another object is to provide an improved con- 2 5 struction of connection which can be attached to the props or posts without the use of bolts or nuts.

With all of these various objects in view the invention consists in the novel features of construction and combination, all of which will be fully described hereinafter and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective view show- 3 5 ing a carriage-top constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a detail sec tional view illustrating the construction of the rear upright. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view illustrating the connection between the rear cross'bow and the rear upright. Fig.

4 is a perspective view of the same connection taken from the opposite side. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional View illustrating the construction and arrangement of the spring locking-bolt. Fig. 6 is a detail view, partly in section and partly in plan, showing the stop of the rear upright. Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of the seat-bracket and rail. Fig. 8 is a detail view, partly in section and partly in plan, illustrating the hinge and brace connection between the two props. Fig.

9 is a side elevation of the same. Figs. 10 and 11 are detail perspective views illustrating one of the joints of the said brace or connection. 5 5

In carrying out my invention I employ an essentially L-shaped bracket A, which is attached to the seat-box by means of laterallyprojecting lugs A, while its upright member A is securely fastened to the seat-back. The upper end of the upright member A terminates in a laterally-projecting stop A while the forward end of the lower member of the bracket is bent back upon itself and terminates in a pivot-post A which is connected to the stop A by a rail A and at the juncture of the horizontal and upright members of the bracket is another pivot-post A. Pivoted upon this post A is the rear upright B and held in place by means of a not B. It will of course be understood that a bracket is arranged at each side of the seat-box and that a rear upright B is attached to each pivoted post A. Each rear upright consists of a solid or tubular lower section B and the tubular upper section B said tubular upper section sliding on the solid or tubular lower section, as most clearly shown in Fig. 2, and within the tubular section B is arranged a spiral cushion-spring O, the purpose of such spring being to take up the shock or jar incidental to the dropping of the carriagetop when the said top is lowered and also assist in lifting the top when the said top is raised, as will be more fully explained hereinafter. Each tubular section B has an opening B, through which works a springactuated locking-bolt D, which is intended to engage an aperture D, produced adjacent to the upper end of the solid portion B for the 0 purpose of locking the said sections in their extended positions. The bolt D works in tubular extension D and is surrounded by a spiral spring D held within the tubular extension by means of a cap D, the end of the bolt projecting through the cap and having a cord, strap, or chain D attached thereto and by means of which the spring-actuated bolt is operated for the purpose ofdisengaging the said bolt from the aperture D me whenever it is desired to drop or foldthe carriage-top. Ono strap, cord, or chain D con- BR J nects the two spring-actuated bolts, so that by pulling upon the said strap, cord, or chain both bolts can be disengaged at the same time.

In case it is desired to provide for dropping the top without requiring the operator to turn around for the purpose of pulling the strap, cord, or chain D I employ a central strap, cord, or chain D which is connected centrally to the said strap, cord, or chain D and passes upwardly through a guide D forwardly through a guide D and terminates in a depending portion overhanging the side of the vehicle, so as to be in convenient reach of the occupant, and by pulling upon said central strap the spring locking-bolts can be withdrawn and the carriage-prop dropped.

The upper end of the tubular member B is pivot-ally connected between two parallel ears E, formed integral with the curved plate E, which is attached to the rear cross-bow E the said ears E being also connected at their rear sides by means of a stop-plate E which projects a short distance below the pivot-point, and thereby acts as a stop to hold the uprights and the crossbow in their proper relative positions.

The main carriage-bow F is pivoted to the pivot-post A, and the supplemental carriagebows F are pivotally connected to the main carriage-bows, and in order to properly brace and hold the carriage-bows in their proper position I employ a combined brace and connector G, composed of two members G and G hinged at G the member G having projecting lip G which serves as a stop to limit the upward movement of the members and to form a rigid brace. Each member G and G terminates in a transverse cross-pin G which fits into a socket G and is held therein by cars G, said socket having integral fingers G which are adapted to be fastened around the side props. This combined brace and connector is attached to the carriagebow at a point where it begins to curve and form the bow, and it will be noted that these braces or connectors are arranged beneath the cover or top of the carriage and are therefore concealed from view. It will also be noted that by using braces constructed in this manner all side props and braces are avoided, and I am also able to dispense with all bolts and nuts. \Vhe'n the spring-bolts are withdrawn for the purpose of dropping the carriage-top, the braces break downwardly and permit the top to fold, and when the top drops the upper section ]3 slides down upon the lower section, the cushion-spring is compressed, and all shock and jar is taken up. In raising the top the spring assists in the operation, and when the upper section is moved upwardly a sufficient distance to bring the and the carriage-top will then be properly extended.

It will be seen that I provide a novel construction of carriage-top capable of carrying out all of the objects hereinbefore mentioned.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a carriage-top, the combination with the lower section, of the tubular upper section, the'cushion-spring arranged within the said upper section, the spring-actuated bolt carried by the upper section and adapted to engage the lower section, and the pivotal connection arranged at the upper end of the upper section of the rear upright and by means of which it is pivotally connected to the rear cross-bow, as specified.

2. In a carriage-top the combination with the upper and lower sections of the rear uprights, one of said sections being adapted to slide in the other, the spring-actuated locking-bolts adapted to lock said upper and lower sections together and means common to both bolts for withdrawing them from engagement with their respective sections.

3. In a carriage-top, the combination with an essentially L-shaped frame, a pivot-post formed at the front end of the frame, a stop at the other end, a connecting-brace between they stop and the pivot-post, a standard pivoted at the angle of the frame, an upright adapted to slide on said standard and rest against the stop, carriage-bows extending from the forward pivot-post, and means for bracing said bows near their upper ends.

4. The combination with the lower sections, of the tubular upper sections, the cushionsprings arranged in the said tubular upper sections, the tubular extensions carried by the tubular upper sections, the spring-actuated bolts arranged in said tubular extensions and adapted to engage an aperture in the upper end of the lower section, the strap connecting the spring-actuated bolts, and a central' strap connected to the connecting-strap and passing through guides arranged in the carriage-top, substantially as specified,

EDWARD \VALTER. lVitnesses:

A. F. TooLEY, H. C. MILLER.

ICC

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